Refrigerator



F. T. RoDGERs REFRIGERATOR Filed Dec. zo, 1934 Jan. 19, 1937.

Hw Ifo-MERS Patented `ian. 139, 1937 UNI-TED STATES PATENT GFFICE REFRIGERATOR Fay T. Rodgers, Memphis, Tenn.

Application` December 20, 1934, Serial No. 758,450

Y 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerators and has especial' reference to means for facilitating the exchange of heat between the refrigerator andthe cooling unit or units thereofl. It is'y primarily directed to improvements in suchA devices which employ a mechanical source of refrigeration though it may be adapted to iceI or other types of cooling.

In refrigerators of any type, it is essentialthat the cooling unit take up as little space as is possible, and that it interfere as little as possible with ingress to the refrigerator, and also that it interfere as little as possible with visibility of objects therein. Probably also, it is more important that the transfer of heat from the refrigerator to the cooling unit be eiliciently accomplished; that the cooling be uniformly accomplished over the entire area of the refrigerator; that accumulation of ice for the refrigerating unit be minimized and that the drip from the refrigerating unit be eiciently taken care of with a minimum of obstruction to the ow of air toward the refrigerating unit.

The objects of the present invention are,-

To so shape and position the cooling surfaces as to bring them into the direct line of upward ow for the air to be cooled;

To so shape the under portions of such cooling surface as to concentrate any moisture corr'- densing thereon to a narrow area and to provide a drainage channel of such area as compared with the area of the cooling surfaces as to provide a minimum of obstruction to circulating flow of the air.

The means by which these and other objects are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will readily be understood from the following specification on reference to the accompanying drawing, in which,-

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a typical form of commercial refrigerator taken as on the line I-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken a as on the line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation of a preferred form of one of the cooling units and the drain therefor, and

Fig. 4 a fragmentary corresponding front elevation of the same.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are enlarged transverse sectional elevations showing modications of the cooling unit and drain shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawing in which Ythe various p arts are referred to by numerals, I0, Il, l

(Cl. (i2-89.5)

l'-2 and I3 are respectively the end, top, bottom and front walls of the refrigerator, and I4 the doors through which access is had to the rear of the refrigerator. l and IB indicate the usual shelves on' which merchandise is displayedl.v

The cooling units include an elongated group of pipe coils which are disposed in a generally horizontal bank in the upper portionV of the re'- frigerator and extend substantially from" end to end thereof, and preferably also an additional similar group or groups as the coils 2| disposed immediately below the shelf l5. These coils are cooled in usual manner as by the expansion of ammonia gas, carbon disulphide, or other refrig-erant gas. 22 indicates a compressor-condenser unit, 23 piping connecting the condenser and coils, and 24 the return pipe from the coils to the compressor.

Each group of coils is housed in a shallow Y housing 30, 3| respectively, these housings being filled with a liquid as oil, salt water or other liquid whichwill not freeze at refrigerating temperatures. In their preferred form each housing has a substantially flat top 32, shallow sides 33, and ends 34, and a bottom sloping slightly downward from the two side walls 33 to the center. The width of the housing is slightly less than the depth from front to back of the refrigerator, with which it is to be used, and is usually only slightly greater than the overall width of the bank of coils with which it is used, though this is not essential since heat transference is accomplished through the liquid filling the housing. The depth of the housing is preferably only sufcient to readily accommodate the bank of coils. The slope of the bottom of the housings is slight and is only such as is necessary to cause moisture condensing thereon to drain toward the midpoint. Immediately below the junction of the two portions 35 of the bottom, is a substantially horizontal channelway which for economy and strength may be an angle iron. From this channelway, drain pipes 4l at opposite ends of the refrigerator case lead downward, and if necessary to avoid a lower shelf or housing, backward and discharge in the bottom of the refrigeratorcase.

In some instances it may be more satisfactory to arrange transversely sloping groups of coils 20A and to conform` the slopeof the top 32A as well as the bottom 35A of the housing to the slope of these banks of coils. Where two such banks of coils are used they may be arranged as shown in Fig. 5,'and a single channel 40A take care of the drainage of both housings. In Fig. 6, three groups of coils 20B, and a corresponding number of housings 30B and channels 40B are shown.

In Fig. 7 the coils 20C are banked in one at group, the top and bottom of the housing 30C are shown parallel and a single channel 40C is used.

In using the cooling system a refrigerant such as carbon di-sulphide is pumped into the coils by usual apparatus, under usual control, and a1- lowed to expand in usual manner. The warmer air in the refrigerator ows directly upward against the underside of the housing 30 and is directly cooled thereby. Any moisture contained in the air is distributed over a long, broad surface, and any tendency to form a coating of ice of an insulating thickness is denitely minimized. Any moisture which forms on the surfaces during defrosting or at any other time, is led along the .underside of the housing by capillary attraction,

and is carried off by the drain channel lll! under the low point thereof. Y

It will clearly be seen that the drain channel 40 is shown, and can be made, of such restricted Width as compared to the total width of the housing that it will offer a minimum obstruction to the ow of the Warm air against the cooling surface. It will further be seen that surfaces of the cooling unit are smooth and can be readily cleaned at any time.

What I claim is:

A refrigerator including an elongated casing having an article supporting shelf therein, and cooling means in said casing spaced above said shelf, said casing having aI glass front extending from the under surface of the top of said casing substantially to the level of said shelf; said means comprising a flat coil of pipe, means for circulating a cooling medium through said coil; an elongated at housing enclosing said coil, said housing being substantially horizontally disposed, having smooth exterior surfaces and an undersurface sloping to a longitudinally disposed drainage line, a heat transference medium in said housing surrounding said coil; and a drain disposed along and below the drainage line of said housing, said housing lying adjacent said casing top but being unobstructedly spaced from the contiguous surface to permit access for cleaning, Vthe front portion of said housing closely embracing the coil therein whereby to minimize the thickness .of said front portion, and said drain being spaced rearwardly from said front, whereby to present a minimum obstruction of vision to articleson said shelf.

FAY T. RODGERS. 

